


The ghost of aincrad

by JRoberts132



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga), Sword Art Online: Integral Factor (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aincrad (Sword Art Online), F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:26:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28705137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JRoberts132/pseuds/JRoberts132
Summary: After you are ambushed by a group of PK'ers, you decide to set off on a mission to bring the orange players to justice and to liberate aincad.
Relationships: Honda Koharu/Original Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic about this fandom, hope you enjoy :)  
> Constructive criticism is welcome

It had been a week since koharu had decided to end their partnership. It had been back when the duo were doing what they usually did, grinding in order to get stronger and hopefully get strong enough to take on the formidable floor boss, what was sure to be even more of a challenge than the last one they had faced.

However, once they had finished grinding a dungeon for the day, they were ambushed by a group of dangerous, malicious Player killers. Many people on the lower floors would think that they were a rumour, as most people refused to believe that a person could be as evil as to kill someone. Unfortunately, they were a terrifying reality that were only getting more prevalent and were now forming up in groups which made them even more dangerous.

The group that had attacked you and koharu were clad in black cloaks obscuring their identity and greatly outnumbered the two. Despite their unfavourable odds, the pair fought valiantly and managed to take a few of the orange players out. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side and they were overwhelmed. To even further curb the odds in favour of the PK'ers, one of them, the leader perhaps, managed to disarm and hold koharu hostage.

You had looked at the assailant with fury in his eyes, how dare someone try and cause harm to someone you cared about. But it seemed that the leader had heard of the duo and their skill, so to tip the odds in the their own favour, they held a knife to koharu's throat and offered a proposal to you. Disarm yourself and no harm would come to koharu, knowing that these players were not to be trusted you were reluctant to do this, but not being able to come up with any other plan, you agreed.

The leader then proceeded to beat you almost to death with his fists, treating it as a game. You knew that you could not fight back, as this would put your partner's life at risk and you would never do anything to put her life in danger, even if it meant you had to give up your own. Koharu and begged and pleaded you to fight back, even if she would die as she couldn't live with herself if you died. Luckily your other friends had come to the rescue and drove the orange players off. All had seemed to be well but koharu had asked to talk with you late at night.

She had proceeded to tell you how she no longer thought your partnership was a good idea, as she believed she was a detriment to you and only put you at risk. You tried to talk her out of it, hoping not to lose this bond that was so precious to you, asserting that she was not a detriment and helped you on numerous occasions. She wouldn't hear any of it and reaffirmed that your partnership should come to an end, looking into her emerald eyes, you could see that she did not truly want to do this, but she also didn't want any more harm to come to you. You reluctantly decided to honour her wish and then you disbanded the party you had formed on the very first day of this death game.

It was now a week after that and you were contemplating what to do in the room you rented with the moonlight streaming in. You had come to the conclusion that you should carry on trying to liberate aincad whilst also tracking down player killers and bringing them to justice to assure that they would not bring any harm to anyone, especially koharu. To achieve this goal, you realised that you should obscure your identity, so that the friends of the orange players you would be locking up wouldn't try and get revenge on you by attacking those you care about.

You knew that your partnership with koharu was wide known throughout aincad and the both of you had gained some fame, not helped by leuer spreading stories about your heroics. This had the unfortunate side effect that your potential enemies also knew about your bond with koharu and they would potentially target her to get back at you, this was the very last thing you wanted so you had to something to prevent this.

This mindset is what led you to be at a blacksmith having some gear being made for you to obscure your identity. You decided to switch up your weapon to a special katana you had required from the 10th floor boss that you had not shown to anyone, even koharu in order to prevent a civil war between DKB and ALS. You were now using it so people would not recognise you by your trademark one handed sword. It also turns out that the special katana also had a special buff which meant it was extra effective against bosses and also stole the life of the monsters and gave it to you.

You also had a full black set of gear with a metal chest plate, greaves and vambraces that were also stained black. You also had a traditional samurai mask made up, this paired with your hood would effectively conceal your identity from everyone, even those closest to you. With the new gear acquired and upgraded you set off on your mission to bring PK'ers to justice and to liberate aincad and get koharu out of this death game.


	2. Facing your first battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You set off on your long and hard journey and take on your first battle

Having gained your new equipment, and subsequently, your new disguise, you contemplated what you were to do next. You knew that you had a long road ahead of you, you would have been a fool to not think so. Your main goal being to protect koharu and the lower level players on the lower floors, you decided to go after the respawning floor bosses so that you could prevent koharu and your other friends trying to take them out and also gain knowledge about the floor bosses to give to the other players.

However, you had another major problem. In order to keep up your disguise, you would also need to fool your friends. This would not be an easy task and you would have to make sure that both you and your alternate character would have to appear in public just as often as each other. If you didn't do this, someone was bound to put the pieces together since it would be suspicious if you disappeared and a new top tier player appeared out of nowhere and this would lead to all your efforts being for nothing.

With a basic plan formed you made sure you were geared up enough to face the respawning floor bosses or at least give yourself a fraction of a chance. You knew fully well that facing the floor bosses on your own was downright suicidal, but you were compelled to do it so that no harm would come to your friends. Having acquired an adequate amount of health potions from the merchants you set off towards the labyrinth with a strong conviction and an iron will.

You entered the labyrinth and unsheathed your katana as a flurry of monsters immediately approached you, ready to attack. Having already killed these monsters, possibly hundreds of times, you knew exactly what to do and the monsters were quickly reduced to a mass of polygons. You continued down the labyrinth, cutting down monsters as you went and you were eventually stood outside the towering boss room doors.

You pushed open the hulking metal doors and steeled your resolve whilst readying your weapon getting into a fighting stance, ready to take down the boss, well as ready as anyone could be facing a terrifying monster where one wrong move could mean your death. A deathening roar resounded throughout the chamber and you felt a cold chill go through your spine, even though you have fought this boss before, it didn't change the fact it was extremely dangerous.

You steadied your hands and let out a war cry as you charged the boss, dodging and parrying when needed whilst also letting out a storm of attacks, slowly but surely whittling down the bosses health. You knew this bosses attacks well, but you also knew not to get cocky so you made sure to carefully observe it to make sure it didn't have any new tricks under its sleeve. Your katana attacks were swift and precise dealing immense amounts of damage whilst also allowing you to evade quickly when needed.

After a long but relatively easy battle, you unleashed one last sword skill, eliminating the boss. You watched as it disappeared into polygons and a massive message appeared displaying 'CONGRATULATIONS'. Whilst sorting through the spoils, your hearing clocked onto the sound of approaching footsteps and in an instant you slipped into the shadows. Your all black outfit provided a perfect camouflage for the shadows and you observe as a group of people entered the room, they were familiar faces, your friends. Among the group was kirito and asuna along with klein and agil, you assumed that they were here to take out the boss but finding it already taken down and no sign of the victor, they were very confused and quickly scanned the room. Luckily nobody seemed to spot you and after a period of time, they left and you snuck back out of the labyrinth and back to your hotel room.

The road ahead was sure to be long and difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to update this story as much as possible but I mostly only write when the inspiration hits me


	3. Investigating the Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After defeating your first boss, you meet up with Argo to share some info but it seems as if she expects something

After taking down your first boss and narrowly avoiding being caught by your friends, you were now sat in your hotel room compiling any new information about the boss you had learned during your fight so that you could pass it onto Argo. You set up a meeting with her the next day and began to wonder what to do in the meantime, you decided to go out grinding to further increase your level and as a result, your strength.

*One day later*

You entered the town of beginnings and made sure you were obscured from any prying eyes. A player with very high level gear walking through the town of beginnings on the first floor was a sight to behold for the low level players and they sat there perplexed as to why someone at such a high level is wandering around the town of beginnings.

You ignored their gazes as you continued through the main square and towards the merchants district on your way to meet Argo at the previously discussed meeting point. Having arrived in the merchants district you scanned around, looking into the dark alley ways until you spotted the familiar small stature of Argo the rat. You prepared yourself for the conversation, as you had to act as if you had never talked to Argo in your life, you just hoped she wouldn't see through your disguise.

Argo: "Ah, there you are, so you got the info?"  
You: "Of course"  
You handed over the notes you had compiled and she quickly scanned through them  
Argo: "Interesting, very interesting"  
You: "Something wrong"  
Argo: "huh? Oh nothing, the information is good, it will help a lot of people"  
You: "so what's the matter?"  
Argo: "I know it's unprofessional, but I'm wondering why and how a new player who appeared out of nowhere manages to take down a boss on their own"  
You: "Natural talent I guess"  
She looked at you skeptically  
Argo: "huh, must be"  
You began to panic as you thought she had sussed you out, but then her face then turned into her usual smirk  
Argo: "Well it's none of my business, hope we'll continue to do business in the future, I'll be watching your career with great interest"  
And with that she was off

When I was confident that she was far enough away, I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding, that was close, to close. You steadied yourself and then left the town of beginnings to carry on grinding

*Somewhere in Aincrad*

Kirito: "So what's up Argo?"  
Argo: "Ah, there you are Ki-boy"  
Kirito: "Could you stop calling me that?"  
Argo: "hehe, of course not. Anyway, I met this most peculiar client today."  
Kirito: "What was peculiar about them?  
Argo: "Well they delivered some info to me about the respawning floor boss but it seems they did it solo, I also didn't manage to get a look at their face since they were wearing a disguise."  
Kirito: "I wanted to talk to you about something similar actually, when me and a few others when to take down that boss, we found the doors open and the boss defeated, but no sign of the victor. Do you think they're a threat?"  
Argo: "I'm not sure but I don't think so, they didn't ask for payment for any kind for the information.  
Kirito: "hmm, strange, well just to be safe we should" keep an eye on them to see what their true intentions are"  
Argo: "Agreed"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m terrible at writing dialogue


End file.
